Thirty House Democrats from across the political spectrum have signed on to a letter supporting Steny Hoyer in his race against Jim Clyburn to be Minority Whip next Congress.
We are writing to encourage you to join us in supporting Steny Hoyer as our next House Democratic Whip. We know that this is a trying time for our country and our party-but the first step in standing up for the middle-class and winning back the House majority is electing a strong leadership team to unify our Caucus. Majority Leader Hoyer has been an essential part of our Caucus’s leadership in the 111th Congress, and we need his leadership in the days ahead.
You can read the entire letter below. Included among its signatories are John Dingell — the “Dean” of the House — respected progressive Jerrold Nadler, Blue Dogs like Larry Kissell and Jason Altmire, and Silvestre Reyes, an influential member of the Hispanic caucus.
Hoyer has taken a swift and decisive lead over Clyburn in the number of members who have publicly endorsed in the race. Many of these members have been beneficiaries of Hoyer’s largesse during campaign season. Hoyer campaigns tirelessly for all kinds of candidates, and that’s often a decisive factor in leadership races.
Over the weekend, aides and members began hinting that the two might reach an agreement which would allow both men to remain in leadership — Hoyer as number two, Clyburn as number three. That would put the squeeze on John Larson — the current conference chair — who’d have to either challenge vice-chair Xavier Becerra for a seat at the table, or step aside.
Dear Colleague:
We are writing to encourage you to join us in supporting Steny Hoyer as our next House Democratic Whip. We know that this is a trying time for our country and our party-but the first step in standing up for the middle-class and winning back the House majority is electing a strong leadership team to unify our Caucus. Majority Leader Hoyer has been an essential part of our Caucus’s leadership in the 111th Congress, and we need his leadership in the days ahead.
The 111th Congress is widely regarded as one of the most productive in recent history. Together, we passed health care reform, tough rules for Wall Street, student lending and credit card reform, the job-creating Recovery Act, and more. Majority Leader Hoyer helped make those accomplishments possible by bringing our Caucus together and forcefully standing up for the Democratic principles we share. Steny is an outstanding listener-and his openness to our Caucus’s range of views has always been greatly appreciated and respected.
We know that he will bring that same openness to the role of Democratic Whip. And Steny Hoyer is well-suited to stand up to Republicans on the House floor and in Congressional districts across our country. Steny understands the economic frustration that played such a large role in the outcome of last week’s election, and he is ready to help lead our party in responding to that frustration constructively and creatively. He has been a vocal proponent of the Make It In America agenda, a plan to rebuild American manufacturing and create middle class jobs; he is one of our party’s most respected voices on fiscal responsibility; and, from the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act to his outspokenness on the crisis in Darfur, he has been a longtime advocate for civil and human rights at home and abroad.
Steny Hoyer has an important role to play in defending the accomplishments of this Congress, resisting Republican efforts that would weaken our middle class, and rebuilding a Democratic majority. We urge you to join us in supporting him for Democratic Whip.
/s
LINDA SANCHEZMember of Congress
/s
JIM MORANMember of Congress
/s
JASON ALTMIREMember of Congress
/s
JOE BACAMember of Congress
/s
SHELLEY BERKLEYMember of Congress
/s
DENNIS CARDOZAMember of Congress
/s
JOE CROWLEYMember of Congress
TED DEUTCH
Member of Congress
/s
JOHN DINGELLMember of Congress
/s
ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGAMember of Congress
/s
SAM FARRMember of Congress
/s
JOHN GARAMENDIMember of Congress
/s
GENE GREENMember of Congress
/s
BRIAN HIGGINSMember of Congress
/s
DALE KILDEEMember of Congress
/s
LARRY KISSELLMember of Congress
/s
JIM LANGEVINMember of Congress
/s
DAN LIPINSKIMember of Congress
/s
BEN LUJANMember of Congress
/s
STEPHEN LYNCHMember of Congress
/s
JERROLD NADLERMember of Congress
/s
PEDRO PIERLIUSIMember of Congress
/s
JARED POLISMember of Congress
/s
SILVESTRE REYESMember of Congress
/s
STEVE ROTHMANMember of Congress
/s
LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARDMember of Congress
/s
JOHN SARBANESMember of Congress
/s
ADAM SCHIFFMember of Congress
/s
ALBIO SIRESMember of Congress
/s
ADAM SMITHMember of Congress
